Fire-extinguisher and gas-well capper



.A. w. MOORE. FIRE EXTINGUISHER-AND GAS WELL CAPPER.

v APPLICATION FILED N\IAR 19. 1920. V 1,345,214. Patented June 29,1920.

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A. W. MOORE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND GAS WELL CAPPER.

I Q APPUCATION FILED MAR.19, [.923- 1,345,214. v Patentedlune 29,1920,

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I S i M i i i'l'i'f w I i t i l. a I: P

v 7 i F 7 i I T I I 1 2 5 V612 for v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER AND GAS-WELL CAPPER.

Application filed March 19, 1920.

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, A'MMoN V. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mo- Keesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefuFImprovements in Fire- Extinguishers and Gasell Cappers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

pers for gas or oil wells and has for its clear, and exact description of the invention,

such'as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make-and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire extinguishers and capprimary object the provision of a device of this character which is ada ted to be positioned over or about the mout of a well when being constructed and when the flow of gas or oil starts, the same will be prevented from wasting or flowing unconducted and in case of fire the fluid may be conveyed to a main or foreign point and also cut off air to the fluid and thereby extinguish the fire.

Another object of this invention, is the provision of a fire extinguisher and capper for gas or oil wells of the above stated character, which shall be simple, durable and efficient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

WVith these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combina-' tion, and arrangement of parts as willlbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed. 7 v

- For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawin s, in which igure 1 is a side elevation, illustrating a fire extinguisher and capper for gas or oil wells constructed in accordance with my invention and showing it applied to a well under construction,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional trating the same, r

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the device positioned to extinguish a fire,

Fig. 4 is a detail view, illustrating a catch,

Fig. 5 is avertical sectional ing a keeper for the catch,

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the same,

ig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1,

Specification of Letters Patent.

which is embedded support View, illuscured to the ears 15 and view illustrat-.

Patented June 29, 1920. Serial No. 367,222.

Fig. 8 is a plan view, illustrating the device and its control rod.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a well under construction in which a tubing or casing 2 is being sunk into the ground for thepurpose of obtaining oil or gas. is surrounded by a concrete foundation 3 in a'housing '4, that receives or permits the tubing or casing 2 to pass therethrough when being sunken or driven into the'ground. Bracesb are connected to the housing 4 and are embedded in the concrete foundation 3 to steady the housing 4 and provide a substantial construction. The upper end of the-housing 4 is open and housing adjacent its upper open end is provided with a laterally extending pipe 6 adapted-to be connected to a main or other device for conveying the fluid and said-outlet pipe 6 is provided with valve 7.

A laterally extending arm 8 is formed on the upper end of the housing 4 and pivotally supports a bracket or arm 9 to vwhich issecured a substantially conical shaped covering 10 constructed of asbestos or any other material suitable for the purpose and which is of such a size and shape that when the arm 9 is swung to a substantially horizontal position, the cover enters the open'end of the housing 4 and closes the same. A link 11 is connected to the pivoted end of the arm 9 and toan actuating rod'12 by a pin and 'slot connecti n and said actuating rod is slidably Minted in brackets 13 carried by the or arm 8 so that upon moving said rod in one direction, the housing 4 will be closed atits upper end and when moved in an opposite direction said housing will be open to permit of the drilling or sinking of the tube or casing 2 into-the ground in the ordinary and well known manner.

A plate 14 issecured to the free end of the arm 9v and forms an attaching source for the closure element 10 to said arm 9 and also said a controlling projects beyond each side of the housing 4 to Catches 16 are seare adapted to be received by keepers 17 secured to the housing 4 when the closure element is swung to close said'housing. The catches 16 consist of stems 18 which are secured to the ears 15 at one of their ends and their other ends have plates ],9 hinged thereto and forced define attaching ears 15.

away from said stems by springs 20 but are capable of moving toward the stems when inserted within the keepers and then expand to prevent the withdrawal of said catches from the keepers. The keepers 17 comprise blocks 21 connected together by hinges 22 and have their opposing walls inclined illustrated at 22-3 and overhung by flanges 2% carried by the upper ends of said blocks and spaced from each other to form openings 25 to receive the catches. hen the catches are inserted in the keepers, the plates 19 engage the inclined walls 23 and the flanges 2%, thus securing the closure elements in a position to close the upper end of the housing 4. The keepers 17 are detachably secured to the housing 4 by fasteners 26 which provide a construction wherein the blocks 21 of the keepers can be separated or swung on their hinges to release the catches.

The ears 15 are provided with apertures to receive bolts 27 provided with heads 28 and screw threaded portions 29 which are adapted to be turned into sleeves 30 formed on bracketsBl which are secured to the housing 4, thereby providing a construction whereinvthe closure elements can be firmly secured to the housing at to close the upper end thereof. The bolts 27 are employed after the catches have entered the housing 17 and when there is an excessive pressure within the housing 4. V

In operation, the closure element is swung away from the housing, and the valve 7. is moved into a closed position, the well casing or tubing 2 is then sunk into the ground .in the usual manner through said housing 4 and when oil or gas is struck, the same then flows outwardly of the tubing or casing and is received by the housing, whence it can be conducted to any desired point by the outlet pipe (3 being connected with the main or the like and on opening of the valve 7 In case of fire, or the gas or oil becomes ignited, the actuating rod 12 is pulled swinging the closure element into engagement with the housing a closing the upper endthereoi cutting off the air to the housin The valve 7 is then opened permitting the gas or other fluid to pass out of the housing i to the main (not shown) and be conveyed to some foreign point.

In case of excessive pressure in the housing t prior to closing the closure element 10, the power source of any desired character can be connected to the actuating rod 12 for pulling the same thereby swinging the closure elements into closing position.

Yvhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

,for moving the same into and out of the open end of the housing.

2. A device of the character set forth comprising a housing having an open upper end, and having its other end associated with a well, outlet means for said housing adjacent its upper end. a bracket formed on the upper end of said housing, an arm pivoted to said bracket, a substantially conical shaped closure element carried by said arm and adapted to close the opening in the upper end of the housing, means swinging the arm on its pivot, and means for locking the closure element in a closing position.

A device of the character set forth comprising a housing having an open upper end, and its lower end associated with a well, outlet means for said housing, a bracket on said housing, a closure element adapted to open and close the upper end of said housing, catches carried bysaid closure element, and keepers adapted to receive said catches.

4. A device of the character set forth comprising a housing. outlet means for said housing, said housing having an opening in its upper end, a pivotally mounted closure element for closing said opening. stems secured to the closing element, spring actu ated plates hinged to said stems, blocks removably secured to said housing and hingedly connected and having their opposing walls inclined, overhanging flanges formed on the upper ends of said blocks and spaced to form openings to receive the spring actuated plates to fasten the closure element in closing position.

5. A device of the character set forth comprising a housing and having an opening in its upper end, an outlet means for said housing, a pivotally mounted closure element carried by said housing and adapted to close the open end thereof, catches carried by said closure element, keepers carried by said housing and adapted to receive the catches, bolts carried by said closure element, and screw threaded sleeves carried by the housing and adapted to receive the bolts for permanently securing the closure element in closing position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AMMON TV. MOORE.

"Witnesses VINCENT M. Pmsno, J12, THos. J. HnA'rHnmNo'roN. 

